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Flesh of My Flesh
| number=1| writer=Dan Abnett & Ian Edgington| penciler=Patrick Zircher| inker=Greg Adams| colorist=Marie Javins| letterer=Janice Chiang| cover=| published=February 1997| publisher=Marvel Comics| pages=56| story=40| omnibus=The Complete Comic Book Collection (2008); Star Trek Omnibus, Volume 2 (2009)| date=2254| stardate=2252.34| |}} :From the pilot episode of The Original Series... Captain Pike commands the U.S.S. Enterprise! Flesh of My Flesh is a Star Trek: The Original Series comic published by Marvel-Paramount Comics in 1997, it is the first issue in the Star Trek: Early Voyages series, set during Christopher Pike's captaincy of the . In this opening issue the Enterprise encounters the Ngultor, who capture Pike and probe his mind; causing him to flash-back to key moments in the formation of his crew. Publisher's description Star Trek: Early Voyages #1 begins an all-new series exploring the pre-Kirk adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise! In 1964, a captain and his brave crew set out to explore the stars in a then-unreleased television episode. That program was Star Trek’s pilot episode, “The Cage”; that starship was the Enterprise; and that captain’s name was Christopher Pike. When Star Trek later debuted as a weekly show, Pike and his crew were replaced by a different cast of characters led by the legendary James T. Kirk. But what of the mission before the “five-year mission”? Now the gap between “The Cage” and the original series can be filled in by this all-new series featuring the adventures of Captain Pike’s crew! In the double-sized debut issue, the Enterprise discovers an organic spacecraft made of flesh! Just guess who the ship wants to cannibalize for spare parts! Summary The [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS Enterprise]] has been diverted from its course to the Marrat system to investigate several strange disappearances, a number of small ships have been found, a fleet of Marie Celestes, adrift and undamaged but entirely devoid of crew. The Enterprise has been sent to act as bait to find out what happened. The culprit soon makes itself known, a huge organic starship. As the Enterprise attempts to hail, a huge energy build-up blinds the crew… In the void of his mind Captain Pike finds himself walking with Captain April in spacedock alongside the Enterprise. As Pike prepares to board the ship, he discusses his crew, some old hands from April's time on the Enterprise, Pike's yeoman of the last three years, and some new faces. On the Enterprise, Spock brings Number One out of her daze and informs her of the captain's disappearance. Using Enterprise's few active sensors the crew ascertain they are being held by the alien ship, and traveling at warp three. Doctor Boyce turns up on the bridge to fix up the crew. Meanwhile… Pike recalls his meeting to enroll Lieutenant Robbins as his first officer. Whilst she was hoping for a command of her own she is happy to wait with a chance to serve under Pike and on the Enterprise. The two discuss how they might go about bettering Captain April's legendary exploits. Whilst Doctor Boyce announces his findings, that whilst they were knocked out the crew were subjected to invasive surgery, Number One takes the Captain's chair. Spock borrows the doctor's medical tricorder hoping to diagnose what might be wrong with the ship after his deductions indicated aliens with organic starships might well use organic weapons. As Pike suffers the pains of his memories being sucked from him he recalls his first encounter with the young cadet Spock, hoping to enroll him into his then two year old crew as a replacement for his fever stricken science officer. In the briefing room Spock announces his findings; the Enterprise has been infected by an energy sapping virus. Whilst the rest of the crew are assigned duties to restore the ship Number One decides to take a landing party to rescue the captain. Back choosing his crew, Pike goes over the personal files of his final choices with his trusted Yeoman; Dermot Cusack. Finally unable to take anymore, Pike pulls himself into consciousness to find himself dangling in the organic prison of the aliens which call themselves Ngultor. They reveal their plans; to use Pike's mind to find the homeworld of species in the region and consume them. As they prepare to re-enter his mind the chamber is illuminated by phaser fire. The captain is quickly cut down and puts on an EV suit for the journey back to the Enterprise, but before they can leave, the Ngultor ships tentacles swipe Number One away. Fortunately Nano is on the team and uses his pyrotechnic ability to drive off the organic ship and rescue Number One. However escape still eludes the team who get lost in the ever changing labyrinth of the organic vessel and end up face to face with Ngultor. The huge insectoid aliens explain their plight, lost from home in a freak warp accident, now harvesting flesh for the return journey. As they encroach on the team ready to consume the landing party feel the familiar tingle of the transporter beam as they relocate to the Enterprise. Nurse Carlotti briefs the group on the progress of curing Enterprise's virus and they quickly make their way to the bridge. Soon after they drop out of warp before the huge Ngultor mothership. Using what limited phaser power is available the Enterprise cuts herself free from the smaller Ngultor vessel, then upon restoration of the torpedo banks, fires on the mother ship, destroying it. Observing a hollow victory the Enterprise resumes her course for the Marrat system and Captain Pike retires to his quarters confident in the abilities of his crew and sure the name Enterprise will not depart the history books under his command. References Characters :Robert April • Phillip Boyce • Gabrielle Carlotti • Dermot Cusack • Moves-With-Burning-Grace • Sita Mohindas • Nano • Number One • Christopher Pike • Nils Pitcairn • Spock • José Tyler • Yamata ; :unnamed Andorian • unnamed Tellarite • unnamed Starfleet personnel • unnamed Vulcan Rajiv Mohindas Starships and vehicles : ( ) • Ngultor ship • Ngultor mothership • unnamed Constitution class starship • unnamed small craft • harvester craft • • Marie Celeste • • • • • unnamed ships attacked by the Ngultor Locations :The events of the comic occur in an unspecified area of open space. • unnamed facilities Delhi • Earth • Eristas • Marrat system • Mars • New Milan • New Venice • Pathiad Nebulatae • Utopia Plantia Yards Races and cultures :Andorian • Human (Masai) • Lirin • Ngultor • Tellarite • Vulcan States and organizations :Federation Starfleet • United Federation of Planets Science and technology :antibody • astrography • brain stem • comparative xenobiology • chronometer • flu • medical tricorder • nest world • pyrotechnic • quantum mechanics • stomach • vaccine • virillian toxic fever • virus • warp engineering Ranks and titles :acting ensign • ambassador • cadet • captain • chief engineer • doctor • first officer • head nurse • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • master program • nurse • science officer • transporter chief • yeoman Other references :Irish whisky • five-year mission • mantra • prayer • semiotics • Tholian expansionist programs Timeline Chronology Based on other issues of the Early Voyages series, this comic takes place in 2254, before the episode "The Cage", and very shortly before the next issue in the series, "The Fires of Pharos". Flash-backs occur to events earlier in Pike's life | nextMB=The Fires of Pharos |}} | nextdate=Cadet Kirk |}} | nextdate=Vulcan's Glory |}} ;c. 2245 :Captain Robert April takes command of the , fresh from the Utopia Plantia Yards. April commands the Enterprise on a five-year mission. (Event referenced by April when talking to Pike about his command. Date established in the ''Star Trek Chronology)'' ;c. 2251 :Captain Christopher Pike takes command of the . While held captive by the Ngultor in 2254 Pike had flashbacks to this time; walking with the Enterprise s previous commander, Robert April to board the ship; recruiting Number One to be his first officer; and working with his yeoman, Dermot Cusack, to pick his crew. (Flashbacks throughout the story. Date established in the ''Star Trek Chronology)'' ;c. 2253 :Two years into his command, shortly before beginning a long term survey of the Pathiad Nebulatae, Pike recruits Spock has his new science officer, after his previous science officer can no longer serve due to suffering from Virillian toxic fever. (Flashback. Date extrapolated from the beginning of Pike's command.) ;Stardate 2252.34 (c. 2254) :The USS Enterprise is attacked by the Ngultor while investigating the disappearance of the crews of several starships. The Ngultor take Captain Pike into captivity to try and learn the location of nearby planets to attack, but Pike is rescued by his crew and orders the Ngultor ship destroyed to prevent them carrying out their plans. (No calendar date is given, but the stardate is close to those of other ''Early Voyages stories which take place around the episode "The Cage", in 2254.) Production history *'1997, February', first published by Marvel Comics *'2008, September', re-released on The Complete Comic Book Collection DVD, by Graphic Imaging Technologies. *'2009, May', reprinted in Star Trek Omnibus, Volume 2, by IDW Publishing. Appendices Background *To mark the start of the Early Voyages series this issue was forty pages long, nearly twice the length of the usual 22-page stories that make up the rest of the series. *Despite being set up as a primary member of the Enterprise crew in this issue, transporter chief Nils Pitcairn only appears in two panels, and make no further appearances in the series. *Amongst the 16 pages of adverts in this comic is one page that advertises subscriptions to Marvel's comic, highlighting Star Trek comics with an image of the . Quotes "There you go, Nano. My favourite Lirin patient. You're right as rain" "Doctor Sir, I am your only Lirin patient" :- Doctor Boyce and Nano "Did you hear me Cadet?" "Of course Captain. You seemed so sure about my posting, I didn't realize it required a response" :- Captain Pike recruiting Spock Related stories *"The Fires of Pharos" (EV comic) - The ''Enterprise'' s scheduled mission to the Marrat system is depicted in the second issue of . *''The Cage'' (TOS episode) - The crew of the Enterprise under Pike was established in The Cage, which is the basis for the entire Early Voyages series. *'Pike's recovery' - In two later issues of the series, "Our Dearest Blood" and "Nor Iron Bars a Cage", Doctor Boyce makes note of concerns he has that Captain Pike still hasn't fully recovered from his ordeal with the Ngultor in this issue. Images ngultor Mothership.jpg|The Ngultor mothership. ngultor.jpg|Ngultor. dermot Cusack.jpg|Dermot Cusack. movesWithBurningGrace.jpg|Moves-With-Burning-Grace. mohindas.jpg|Sita Mohindas. jose Tyler.jpg|José Tyler. spock EV.jpg|Spock. gabrielleCarlotti.jpg|Gabrielle. nils Pitcairn.jpg|Nils Pitcairn. irish Whisky.jpg|A bottle of Irish whisky. unnamed Connie 2251.jpg|An Unnamed Constitution class starship in spacedock. recreation facility.jpg|An unnamed recreation facility. terrestrial facility 2253.jpg|An unnamed terrestrial facility. unnamed Andorian 2251.jpg|An unnamed Andorian. spacedock personnel (2251).jpg|Starfleet personnel in spacedock. 2251 spacedock small craft.jpg|Unnamed small craft. tellarite in an unnamed facility.jpg|Various individuals, including an unnamed Tellarite. eV1-art.jpg|Original cover artwork. spockEV1.jpg External link * Category:EV comics